Adrien Brody Is Houdini For History Channel, Tye Sheridan Joins ‘The Forger’ With John Travolta & More

Adrien Brody Is Houdini For History Channel, Tye Sheridan Joins 'The Forger' With John Travolta & More

Call it the influence of Terrence Malick or just pure performance, but take any recent film dabbling in the natural world from a young boy’s perspective and you can bet actorTye Sheridan‘s name was hovering around the cast list. Since “The Tree of Life,” the 16-year-old has landed lead roles in “Mud,” opposite Matthew McConaughey, and David Gordon Green‘s upcoming “Joe” with Nicolas Cage. His next project finds him facing another major name, but thankfully with a different genre slant.

THR reports Sheridan will star next in heist drama “The Forger,” which jumped into view earlier this year when John Travoltasigned on to star. Directed by Philip Martin and penned by Richard D’Ovidi(“The Call”), the film follows a former art prodigy and thief played by Travolta, who gets out of jail early to tend to his ill son but finds himself wrapped up in one last job for those responsible for his release. Production starts this October in Boston, and while we’re waiting for Travolta to blow us away with a recent turn, Sheridan is one to definitely keep eyes on.

With a recent track record of miniseries including “Hatfields and McCoys” and “The Bible,” The History Channel has risen again as a primetime competitor, and now the channel looks to follow up their success with another long-form project—“Houdini,” a four-hour miniseries focused on the iconic magician. In an interesting choice, Adrien Brody has been cast in the lead, with Kristen Connolly also attached as Houdini’s wife, Bess. “The Baader Meinhof Complex” director Uli Edel will helm the entire effort, portraying the magician’s life “from desperate poverty to worldwide fame.” Production on “Houdini” begins this fall. [Deadline]

Finally, as if Idris Elba‘s slate wasn’t packed enough with a new series of BBC‘s “Luther,” British indie “Second Coming,” and a newly-inked role in Cary Fukunaga‘s “Beasts of No Nation,” the actor will also take on a documentary surrounding car racing’s origins, “King of Speed.” The two-part series will find Elba visiting racetracks in the U.S., Scotland, Finland, and elsewhere to trace the sport’s “political, social, and historical evolution from prohibition to today.” NASCAR, police chases, and drifting will all factor into the intriguing program, which will air on BBC Two with no airdate yet set. Elba’s following and the concept should have more than a few tuning in when a time is announced, though. [Deadline]